Trolley contactor



July 10, 1934. F. H. RICHTERKESSING TROLLEY CONTACTOR Filed March 10, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l FDANK H. Dxcmawzssme.

mica/M41 3 I July 10, 1934- F. H. RICHTERKESSING TROLLEY CONTACTOR Filed March 10, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 3mm FDANK H. Qxcx-rrmxassma W rm Patented July 10, 1934 UNITED STATES PATE T GFFIGE' 14 Claims.

My invention relates to the class of devices attached to or installed adjacent trolley wires to be engaged by a current collector carried by a car for the purpose of actuating signals, switches, recorders, etc., and are known in the electric railway industry as trolley pans.

An object of the invention is to eliminate a number of the parts and a large part of the weight which have heretofore been regarded as necessary features in the structure employed to produce trolley pans as they are subjected to the elements, high electrical stresses and are called upon to withstand strains and shocks resulting from rapidly moving and flying trolleys.

Another object resides in the design developed so that major parts can be readily renewed and thereby salvage the remainder of the contactor which has heretofore been discarded when local damage had developed.

For an illustration of some of the physical forms in which the invention may take, reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a longitudinal or side elevation of the short trolley pan. Fig. 2 is a long trolley pan built up of linear sections with a special form of reinforcement. Fig. 3 is another form of trolley pan constructed of units with a different form of metallic reinforcement. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional View of Fig. 1 along the line 44. Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view along the line 55 of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view along the line 66 of Fi 3.

In the drawings 10 indicates a tubular single section of insulating material such as a phenolaldehyde condensation product and serves for the spine or backbone of the complete trolley pan as shown in Fig. 1, while three of such units are employed for structures in Figs. 2 and 3. In the latter cases they are linearly assembled and reinforced.

At the present period of commercial development in a phenol-aldehyde condensation product tubing the length shown in Fig. 1 is the longest standard piece of tubing that can be procured, the same length is used in the Figs. 2 and 3. This is not only simply a means of producing the long contactors which are necessary for certain types of service, especially where high speeds are encountered but it has the feature of admitting of renewing, at a relatively small cost, any oneof the sections that may become damaged.

formed bracket 11, on all of the contactors, is secured to the tubular member 10 by means of bolt 12, which passes through the center of the justably controlling the tension of spring to 65 stop 14. This whole assembly is referred to herein as a spring unit, 30.

Angularly disposed contact flexible strips 19 are riveted to springs 15 and are disposed adjacent trolley wire 20 in order that the flanges of 7G trolley wheel W will make suitable contact upon its passage through the trolley pan. In Figs. 1 and 3 a pair of strips are indicated whereas in Fig. 2, four contact flexible strips -26 are employed for the purpose of providing the trolley pan with directional means for energizing circuits and devices with which it can be installed.

In Fig. 2 the adjacent ends at 10a10a of tubing 10 forming the spine are fitted into a metallic sleeve 27 through which bolt 28 passes and terminates in channel iron 29 which is also bolted at either end to the tubing by the bolts disposed in the tubing and securing the spring units to same. Suitable perches 31, 32 are provided to fit the tubing and form a very substantial bearing surface for the bracket.

In Fig. 3 in the adjacent ends at 10b--10b of the phenol-aldehyde condensation product tubings 10 forming the spine is disclosed a reinforcing tubing 35 which can be of metal or a phenol- 9o,

aldehyde condensation product and extends for sufficient length to be engaged by the spring units shown in Fig. 5 thereby constituting a rigid and enduring whole.

As a means of attaching the trolley pans to guy wires and/or trolley wire ears, adjustable bolts 404 0 are provided which pass through the tubing and are located With reference to same by means of perches 41 or 42 to protect the tubing against being crushed under excessive strains, tubular reinforcements 4343 similar to 35, however, of just suflicient length to accomplish the purpose, are disposed in the ends of the tubing.

This tubular contactor has been found to be of a type that can be readily produced and at a relatively low cost. In operating service it has proven its ability to withstand rigorous service even with its extreme lightness as compared with the contactor produced heretofore that could render comparable service.

Flat spring 15 With 0:)

CJI

The types shown are representative of some of the embodiments for this invention, obvious combinations, modifications (such as employing two parallel disposed tubes 10 to constitute the spine or frame), and eliminations (omitting the contact strip 19 or strips 25, 26 from one side), staggering the strips (omission of one 25 from one side and one 26 from the opposite side) can be indulged in accordance with these teachings without departing from the spirit of the invention, therefore, I wish to be limited only by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A trolley pan constructed with a tubular longitudinally extending frame formed of a phenol-aldehyde condensation product to which is attached contact means supported by an arcuate saddle.

2. A trolley pan constructed with a tubular longitudinally extending frame formed of a phenol-aldehyde condensation product to which is attached longitudinally extending contact means supported by a pair of arcuate saddles.

3. A trolley pan constructed with a tubular longitudinally extending frame formed of a phenol-aldehyde condensation product to which is attached longitudinally extending flexible contact means through a pair of extensions from arcuate saddles.

4. A trolley pan constructed with a tubular longitudinally extending frame formed of a phenol-adlehyde condensation product to which is attached yieldable longitudinally extending flexible contact means through a plurality of pairs of extensions from arcuate saddles.

5. A trolley pan constructed with a telescopic tubular longitudinally extending frame formed of a phenol-aldehyde condensation product to which is attached an adjustable yieldable longitudinally extending flexible contact means supported by an arcuate saddle.

6. A trolley pan constructed with a telescopic tubular spine of a phenol-aldehyde condensation insulating material to which is attached yieldable longitudinally extending flexible contact means through a flexible extension from an arcuate saddle.

'7. A trolley pan constructed with a tubular spine composed of metal and phenol-aldehyde condensation insulating tubes to which is attached an adjustable yieldable longitudinally extending flexible contact means through a pair of flexible extensions from an arcuate saddle.

8. A trolley pan constructed with a telescopic tubular spine composed of a plurality of sections of metal and phenol-aldehyde condensation insulating tubes to which is attached linearly disposed flexible contact means through a plurality of pairs of extensions from a plurality of arcuate saddles.

9. A trolley pan constructed with a telescopic tubular spine composed of a plurality of linearly disposed sections of metal and phenol-aldehyde condensation insulating tubes to which is directly attached, by an arcuate saddle, a yieldable linearly disposed contact means.

10. A trolley pan constructed with a tubular longitudinally extending frame composed of a plurality of reinforced tandem sections of a phenol-aldehyde condensation product to which is directly attached, by an arcuate saddle, yieldable linearly longitudinally extending flexible contact strips, the contact faces of said strips being inclined with respect to each other.

11. A trolley pan constructed with a tubular longitudinally extending frame composed of a plurality of reinforced tandem sections of a phenol-aldehyde condensation product to which is directly attached, by an arcuate saddle, a pair of yieldable longitudinally extending flexible contact strips.

12. In a trolley pan, the combination with a trolley wire, of a longitudinally extending tubular frame of a phenol-aldehyde condensation material mounted thereon, a longitudinally extending flexible contact means supported directly by said frame through an arcuate saddle, and a stop, attached to said frame by an arcuate saddle, said stop limiting the movement of said contact means toward said trolley wire.

13. In a trolley pan, the combination with a trolley wire, of a longitudinally extending tubular frame of a phenol-aldehyde condensation material mounted directly thereon by an arcuate saddle, a longitudinally extending flexible yielding contact means supported by said frame, and a stop, attached to said frame by an arcuate saddle, said stop limiting the movement of said contact means toward said trolley wire.

14. In a trolley pan, the combination with a trolley wire, of a longitudinally extending tubular frame of a phenol-aldehyde condensation material mounted directly thereon by an arcuate saddle, a longitudinally extending adjustable flexible yielding contact means supported by said frame, and a stop attached to said frame by an arcuate saddle, said stop limiting the movement of said contact means toward said trolley wire.

FRANK H. RICHTERKESSING. 

